The photographs of Maplewood’s business district that I have been running for the last four or five blogs have generated a lot of interest and a few requests. This post is what amounts to a file dump. Due to the difficulty most readers would have searching my old posts, I am posting some images that I have used before and some that I haven’t. To be honest, I’m not absolutely sure which is which.
And I found the text below in the same file with the photographs. I wrote it at some time in the past but I don’t think I ever used it. A cursory search turned up nothing. So I’m taking the easy way out and just reposting everything. I hope you enjoy:
A Look at Downtown Shortly Before the Demolitions Began
In the 1960s and 70s, Maplewood and many older inner-ring suburbs were declining. Sprawl and increased reliance by the populace on car travel had lured away most of the customers who once supported their retail districts.
In a move to return the Maplewood retail district to profitability several plans were floated that would make one wince today. The first plan led by the president of Citizens Bank, James Holton, was called “A Return to the Maple Leaf” and would have torn down nearly everything between Manchester and Lohmeyer and from Oakview Terrace to Big Bend. After “The Wedge” and a few homes were razed, outraged citizens launched a referendum and managed to halt the project.
Then another group of citizens started a petition drive to allow a vote on the project and “A Return to the Maple Leaf” was on again. A short time later following the withdrawal of an important anchor it collapsed for the second and final time.
A few months after this, Mr. Holton and supporters had another slightly smaller plan. This one which involved bringing a K-Mart store to downtown Maplewood would see completion.
I believe the accompanying photos were most likely taken by a concerned citizen shortly before the demolitions began.
Thanks to everyone who turned out for my talk at the library on the 19th. That is something I always enjoy doing.
My finished book, Maplewood History – Volume Two, is now facing another delay. The Printing Source which had already reprinted Volume One and furnished me with the proof pages to Volume Two has gone out of business. I am looking for someone in the area who prints short runs of books. Know of anyone?
As always, I appreciate everyone who contributes comments, emails, suggestions, tips or what-have-you. The amount of very old artifacts and information that have come to light during this now 17 year old investigation is truly amazing.
Even though you can’t tell it today, summer is almost over. Cool weather will be here before we know it. I know there are many fans of cool weather. I kind of understand that.
Doug Houser 9/29/2019
Doug, thanks so much for putting all these photos in one place for easy access. Great idea! They help me take a stroll down memory lane (pun intended).
You are very welcome, Lynn. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Do you have any photos of the houses on Sutton that were demolished to build Kmart? Would love to see a photo of my grandparents’ house.
Hey Charlotte, I don’t have any photos of the homes you mention. In the link I’m attaching here, in the first photograph the backs of some of those homes are visible at the top of the image.
https://40southnews.com/maplewood-history-from-up-in-the-air-part-2/
Thanks. Can’t really make anything out. I sure wish I had taken pictures of it. The house was yellow stucco and they also owned a red brick 2 family flat next door. Spent lots of time in that house.
Any pictures from Manchester and Big Bend going east to Sutton? Katz drug store, Woolworths, Newberrys, the bank at Manchester and Sutton, etc…
Guy, In the past, I have posted many photographs of the buildings you mention. You might start with this link and work your way backwards.
https://40southnews.com/series/doug-houser/
Or you might try searching the 40 South News site for some of those buildings. Here is what a search for Bank of Maplewood turned up.
https://40southnews.com/?s=Bank+of+Maplewood
Good luck.
Hey Luke, I’m familiar with Reedy Press but thank you for mentioning them. What I’m looking for now is a local printer.
My family went to a dentist who was officed above Harper’s Pharmacy. Those weren’t my fondest memories of an otherwise terrific childhood growing up in 1960s Maplewood.
I’m with you, Mary Jo. I remember the dentist office of my childhood as something kin to a torture chamber. Was it really as bad as we think it was? Thanks for your remembrance.
Doug H.: If you’re hallucinating (as you wrote), so am I! Yes, there was a piece of public art (actually, pieces of an installation of columns) at the Manchester-Sutton corner of the Municipal Garage/K-Mart site. It was right next to my store, Drum Headquarters, which was located at that corner (at the west end of the strip of stores under the K-Mart lot) from 1984-93. My best guess is that the piece was installed around 1987 and removed prior to the demolition that led to Shop ‘n Save. I believe the work was done by local artist, Carol Fleming. http://www.carolfleming.com
That’s cool, Rob. It’s nice to know that I’m not hallucinating. I think I’ll send the artist an email. Possibly find out what happened to her piece. I appreciate your weighing in on this.
Doug that picture of the K Mart parking garage caught my eye. We had a station wagon that had the fake wood paneling on it. I cannot imagine why we would have parked at that spot and walked to the store but it sure looks like our old car. I know we were on that roof deck quite a bit. We used to watch the cars go by from up there.
Mark, Let’s just say it is your station wagon with the fake wood on the side in the photo. Whatever happened to fake wood on the sides of cars anyway?
I showed the picture to my wife and she reminded me that we used to park our car there with a big sign on it when we had a garage sale at our house. It was a place to put a sign out and whenever we did that we would often hear people say that they had seen our sign in the KMart parting lot. So I am saying it is my car, fake wood siding and all!
Fantastic, Mark! I guess one never can tell when the “fake wood” from our pasts will return to remind us of who we once were.
I always remembered how much you could feel the upper parking deck shake and vibrate when you were standing on it and a car passed nearby. That and it always smelled like popcorn inside the Kmart.
Right on, Todd. Since you have reminded me I can clearly recall these sensations that you have described. Thanks.
Hey Doug, bummer about your book publisher. I have a purchased a few local interest books published by Reedy Press. Perhaps they could be an option?
Hey Luke, I’m familiar with Reedy Press but thank you for mentioning them. What I’m looking for now is a local printer.